There Is a Bird On Your Head!

As Mariflor and I have become accustomed to saying when things go well....

"YAAAAY for English class this week!"

When Omero, Ester, and I walked in the classroom on Monday afternoon, the kids started their greeting song in Creole followed by an exuberant "walcomb!" (welcome).

One day a week, I have a small group of students, either the older group of 10-13 year olds or the younger group of 6-9 year olds, and then Friday I have the whole class.  I never know which group I'll have the first day, so I come prepared with two lessons.

This week, the professor asked for us to teach the older group.  The kids were unaware of which group would learn English that day, so when the older ones learned it was them, you would have thought they won the lottery! Their side of the room exploded into jumping, clapping, and cheering!

Oh, how that warmed my heart!

We opened up with a game of Number Bingo with numbers up to 20.  I had purchased some cool "Super-estrella" stickers from the dollar spot at Target this summer and used these as the prize.  Like gold to these kids.

We played 5 rounds and the winners proudly displayed their stickers.  Then we counted up to 30 as we used our calendar of November, as well as discussed what "today is," "yesterday was," and "tomorrow will be" with the days of the week.  We also talked a little bit about the weather, but we have more work to do there.

Then, I decided to start something new.

One of my greatest passions is reading aloud to children.  To see their faces light up with anticipation with every turn of the page brings me joy.  I brought a few books from the states and flipped through some to see if any words we have learned in English class were used in the books I had.

I found one and it's a favorite of mine! This book is called There Is a Bird on Your Head! by Mo Willems.

Mo Willems' books are witty, surprising, silly, and full of expression.  Some pages only have pictures to tell the story, which helped my students understand even more.  I told them that there were words that they've learned and some that they haven't, but that I thought they'd enjoy it.

I wish I had taken a picture! The preteens all gathered as close as they could to see the pages.  With the first few sentences, I would translate in Spanish, but after awhile the students began translating!  What an encouragement to these kids! They especially chimed in when they saw the words "one," "two," "three," "thank you," "please," and "you are welcome" as these have all been in our recent vocabulary.

The laughter that filled the classroom was contagious.  They could read and understand a book in English! And just guess what they asked at the end of the book?

"Laurena, tu puedes traer un otro libro la proxima clase?!" Laurena, can you bring another book next class?!

"Claro que si!" Of course, yes!

I got to thinking... for some of these kids, this may be the first new, clean book they've ever seen.

For some, it may be the first book that has ever been read to them.

I first learned about Mo Willems' books during my undergraduate studies at the University of Maryland.  I didn't know then that I would be taking these books into a sweltering hot, dirty, dimly lit classroom of a Haitian village four years later...

It is amazing how faithful and how SO good God is.

I don't say this wearing a mask or with a false sense that everything is always hunky-dory.  Quite the opposite.  In fact, the past four years of my life of following the Lord have been four of THE hardest.  I would not chose to relive them, nor would I ever trade them for anything.

But God does not promise happiness or an easy life, He promises Himself and the joy of His Spirit.

I leave Redemption every time wondering if the kids will have food to eat that night, if they have loving parents to return home to,  and if they know and accept they have a Savior who loves them.  I also leave with the joy of the Lord, our strength through every season.

I only have one hour with the kids, twice a week, but that's 120 minutes I get to share the love the Lord has given me for these children.

I'm going to miss this class so much when I leave for the holidays! I told the older kids this week that I'd be leaving soon and that we wouldn't have English class till I return in January... one girl stayed behind to say with a pout, "Eso es demasiado tiempo!" That's too long!

I'll be back, though.  And no need to worry about the time I'll be gone when we still have class ahead of us! I can't wait to read the next book, I'm Invited to a Party!, on Friday.  They're going to love it!

We might just have a little fiesta ourselves!

No Hay Clase Hoy

The theme of this week...

No class.

Sunday I was scheduled to teach children's church at New Life Church, but due to heavy rains, there weren't any kids at the service.

Tuesday my English class in Redemption Village was canceled due to a country-wide strike against legislation, and thus becoming an excuse for the kids to skip school.

Friday I was all set to jump back into teaching English, but upon our arrival we were told their teacher was sick.  No class again.

Yet, do you want to hear something special?

One of my students saw me walking in yesterday with English posters in hand.  She ran home, grabbed her journal, and met me at the school.  She explained that there was no school today, but maybe we could do English.  How sweet that moment was!

Unfortunately, it happened to be raining and we didn't have a key to the building, so I couldn't stay.  But to know that even one little mind is hungry to learn filled my heart with joy.

The Lord has been bringing to mind creative activities and games to help the kids learn English, and this season has brought SO much joy to me.  Seeing a class full of bright smiles, no shoes, ragged clothes, chewed down pencils, and torn notebooks... all sardined on benches, eagerly awaiting the opportunity to display their knowledge of English is truly humbling.

I have lessons just waiting to be taught and I'm itching to get back in the class!

And guess what?

Barb and the girls return on Tuesday! I can hardly believe these two months have come and gone.  I've grown quite accustomed to feeding, bathing, and singing little Mariflor to sleep 5-6 nights a week... what will I do without her?

Not to mention, I'll miss having my own transportation around town, too. Back to motoconchos, caritos, and guaguas... oh my!

The Lord opens and closes doors in His timing, and only He can close the doors He opens and open the doors He closes (Isaiah 22:22, Revelation 3:8).  I'm just grateful this door was opened to me at all.

These two months have been somewhat of a holy grounds for me. To some, the task that I've had of distributing finances, visiting with families, caring for a baby, speaking in Spanish, and teaching English is all in a day's work... but it hadn't been for me.   In the beginning, this was daunting!  I knew the only way I'd get through would be through Jesus.  There have been hard days, sick days, restful days, exciting days, and tiring days... and I've made it through them all.

I just pray at the end of this period of time the Lord can say to me, "Well done, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much.  Enter into the joy of your Master." (Matthew 25:23)

T-minus 3 days till Mariflor is reunited with her mommy and sisters!

Gripe

Pronounced Gree-pay

Otherwise known as the common cold... whatever you want to call it, I've had it this week.

It started on Monday with my whole body aching, which turned into sinus pressure Tuesday, a killer throat on Wednesday, sore throat and ears on Thursday, sniffles on Friday, and a chest cough today.

Apparently, gripe has been going around here lately and it's no surprise I caught it.  I'm only around kids every single day.

Believe me when I say Mariflor has been covered in protective prayers head to toe every night!

I've felt like I've floated through this last week in a daze, but I've come out so grateful despite the ickiness.  Ester and Omero have done so much for me in making sure I feel better.  When I lost my voice for English class, Ester stepped in; Mariflor and I had dinner with them one night; Omero ran out to get me Halls and sinus medicine one day; and Ester brewed up the most amazing tea I've ever tasted when we all got stuck in the rain yesterday.  The tea was so famously good that everyone who entered the kitchen all of sudden came down with a cold, too.

I'm really going to miss my Dominican family and friends when I go back to the states for the holidays.  Onelfy (Omero and Ester's son) asked if I'd be spending Christmas with them and I had to break the news to him.  He just couldn't understand why I didn't want to spend it with them... about broke my heart as I contemplated whether I ought to tear my plane ticket!

Good news, though. I've booked my ticket back here the first week in January, so God willing, I'll be back before he knows it.  But I still have a few weeks here and I'm looking forward to completing this year with joy and gratefulness.

Of course, there was yet another reminder this week that we live in a terribly broken world.  We found out that Fa, the young child Erika and Victor took in a year ago after his mother abandoned him, was taken back by the mother, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. It is a heart-breaking story involving prostitution, child neglect/abuse, drugs, and manipulation.

Fa

Fa's sister, Rocio, was taken by her mother while I was in the states this summer so I didn't even have the chance to say bye to her.  Same with Fa now, too.  Two Wednesdays ago Omero, Ester, and I visited with Erika and Victor, and I remember Fa just waking up from his nap and greeting us with a timid smile before we left.  He is just the cutest little boy with the most beautiful eye lashes.  This Wednesday the house was somber without him.  Fa knows Erika and Victor as his mom and dad, and it brings me to tears that he's been torn from them to do God knows what.

 Rocio

 She is quite the character!

We know that the mother is pregnant, due in December, now with two little children under 4 years old to care for.  The scenarios that run through my head scare me for how she is getting the money to take care of them, but that's to say if she's even thinking about feeding and clothing them.  She didn't do that before.

Alexander, Erika and Victor's son, has not been the same since she left.

All we can do is pray.  Pray for Fa and Rocio's protection, for cleansing, for Jesus to reveal Himself to them.  Pray that their mother turns from her ways, truly comes to know the Lord, and live a changed life.  Pray for Victor and Erika to be comforted by the Holy Spirit in new and deeper ways.  And pray for her unborn child to be safe, healthy, and strong in the Lord.

It grieves Jesus far more than it does me, Victor, or Erika, and we know that His Spirit is interceding with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26).

When you start feeling sorry for yourself- you have a cold, you lost your job, money is tight, or you just don't get your way- there are people in far worse situations.  I'm thankful for what I have and for a God who keeps things in perspective and promises never to leave us.